1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an arrangement for reproducing pictures by means of a picture tube using light polarized in different directions, wherein a polarizer and a liquid crystal cell provided with transparent electrode areas on both sides are located in front of a faceplate of the picture tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An arrangement as mentioned above is disclosed in European Patent Application No. 84 111 766.6, which was published on Apr. 10, 1985, under No. 0 136 696.
With an arrangement of the above kind, two different images can be displayed with one picture tube. The light of the two images being polarized orthogonally in relation to each other. The two images are alternately displayed on the picture tube, preferably in rapid succession. A switching device is provided for switching the liquid crystal cell at the image repetition rate, so that the one image is reproduced using light polarized in one direction, and the other image using light polarized orthogonally thereto.
Using the above arrangement viewed with polarization spectacles, two different viewers can simultaneously view different images on the same screen or one viewer can view a three dimensional image. If the polarization lenses of two pairs of spectacles are each rotated by 90.degree. in relation to each other in their plane of polarization, two viewers can see different images. If the two lenses of a pair of spectacles are displaced by 90.degree. in their planes of polarization, one eye of the viewer views the one image, and the other eye views the other image. Thus, the viewer has the impression of seeing a composite image. This effect can be used to create the impression of a three-dimensional image.
The images displayed on the screen can be produced by two different cameras, or can be computer-generated. The known arrangement for displaying the images has the disadvantage that it takes up a large amount of space in that the optical means are arranged one behind the other, i.e., the faceplate of the picture tube, the polarizer, and the liquid crystal cell, must be held in a precise optical arrangement in relation to each other. Furthermore, the angle at which the image can be viewed is very restricted. Particular difficulties arise if larger picture tubes are used with conventionally curved faceplates.